Building Construction Handbook, Eighth Edition

Thermal or Cold Bridging ~ this is heat loss and possible

condensation, occurring mainly around window and door openings

and at the junction between ground floor and wall. Other

opportunities for thermal bridging occur where uniform

construction is interrupted by unspecified components, e.g.

occasional use of bricks and/or tile slips to make good gaps in

thermal block inner leaf construction.

NB. This practice was quite common, but no longer acceptable by

current legislative standards in the UK.

Prime areas for concern ~

*Note: Cavity should extend down at least 225 mm below the level of the

lowest dpc (AD, C: Section 5).

GROUND FLOOR & WALL

dpc

cavity insulation incomplete,

possibly caused by mortar

droppings building up and bridging

the lower part of the cavity*

hollow steel

lintel

and

incomplete

cavity

insulation

heat loss

through

uninsulated wall

incomplete

cavity

insulation

WINDOW/DOOR HEAD

WINDOW SILL WINDOW/DOOR JAMB

Thermal Bridging